Effect of ulinastatin on C-reactive protein and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in patients with acute lung injury

Objective:To investigate the changes of the blood c-reactive protein(CRP) and matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) levels in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS) and the effect of ulinastatin on them.Methods:40 ADRS patients admitted into ICU were divided into the ulinastatin treatment group and the control group.Patients in the ulinastatin treatment group were intravenously injected with 2×106 U ulinastatin + 100 ml 0.9% normal saline(NS),twice a day.The other treatment plan for both group was the same.Then The levels of blood(CRP) and MMP-9,respiratory rate,oxygenation index(PaO/FiO2),and PaO2 in both groups were determined.Results:There were no significant differences in the respiratory rate,oxygenation PaO2,PaO/FiO2,ages and the levels of CRP and MMP-9 in patients of both groups before the treatment.Ulinastatin treatment could reduce the expressions of CRP and MMP-9 in patients with ARDS(P0.01),and greatly improve the patients' respiration(P0.001).Conclusion:Ulinastatin can inhibit the expressions of CRP and MMP-9 and improve the respiration of ARDS patients.So ulinastatin has a protective effect on patients with ARDS.